Tim Eustace to become deputy director of North Jersey District Water Supply Commission

Assemblyman Tim Eustace speaks to Northjersey.com on why the Oil Train Safety Bill is important for Bergen County residents during a demonstration urging lawmakers to override Gov. Chris Christie's veto of the bill.
Danielle Parhizkaran/Northjersey.com

Tim Eustace, a chiropractor and former mayor of Maywood, has represented Legislative District 38 for four terms.(Photo: Danielle Parhizkaran/Northjersey.com)

Assemblyman Tim Eustace, a well-known Bergen County Democrat, is expected to step down from his role in the state Assembly on Friday to become the deputy director of the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission.

Eustace, a chiropractor and former mayor of Maywood, is in his fourth term representing Legislative District 38 in central Bergen County, a traditionally competitive district where he won re-election in November 2013 by a 35-vote margin. He won re-election in November of last year.

"I will have the opportunity to do more environmentally in a new position," Eustace said.

He said he will now be in a position to stay ahead of water problems that are possible in New Jersey.

"There's nothing more important than clean, fresh water and this is the opportunity to protect New Jersey's water supply," Eustace said.

Many of New Jersey's waterways include things like PCBs, bacteria, toxic metals, and mercury; nutrients that spur algae growth; and sediment that chokes fish and other aquatic life. Eustace said the condition of New Jersey's water is "shocking" and has been ignored for years, adding that many people are surprised when they realize there is water in New Jersey that you can't drink.

Eustace, only the second openly gay person to be elected to the state legislature, along with Assemblyman Reed Gusciora — a Democrat from Mercer County — who came out in 2016, 10 years after first being elected.

He is the vice chairman of the Health and Senior Services Committee and sits on the Law and Public Safety and Science, Innovation and Technology committees.

He has sponsored several environmental bills including one establishing a clean energy technology center and an alternative and clean energy investment trust fund, creating an office of sustainability and requiring local contracting units, board of educations and county colleges to purchase hybrid or electric vehicles when looking to purchase cars.

Tim Eustace in front of his Maywood home, which has solar panels on the roof and an electric car in the driveway.(Photo: CHRIS PEDOTA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)

In 2016, he was named as the chairman of the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee but was replaced in January.

Eustace's position will need to be filled and Democratic committee members in his district will vote on someone until a special election can be held in November to fill the remainder of his term.

"I'm incredibly honored to be able to serve New Jersey," Eustace said.

He said he was able to accomplish great things, voting for marriage equality and getting rid of conversion therapy. New Jersey is one of only two states to abolish conversion therapy.